Posts Tagged ‘teachers’

For thousands of teachers and school owners, the start of summer is a time to brainstorm, to plot and dream about everything they want to achieve during the upcoming dance season. It’s a time to look back on the lessons of the past year—some learned the hard way and others in a flash, those light-bulb moments that make us wonder why we didn’t think of that idea years ago. It’s through the live-and-learn process that we become better at what we do.

I would like to interrupt your brainstorming session to interject a few thoughts about the next season. I’ve been thinking about responsibility as it pertains to dance teachers. According to my dictionary, being responsible means having the capacity to make moral decisions (and thus being accountable for one’s actions) and being capable of rational thought or action. So, as you contemplate the choreography and music for this season’s competitions or other performance opportunities for the children in your charge, I’m asking you to act responsibly, in the full meaning of the word.

Let’s look at what each component of this definition means.

The capacity to make moral decisions

In my mind, this means that teachers are obligated to know what is appropriate for their students. They and their parents rely on teachers to do what is morally right in their classrooms and in making choices regarding their students’ performances. Number one for me is never sacrificing the obligation to let children be children.

Being accountable

Many things come to mind when I reflect on what teachers are accountable for, but the one that rises to the top is how their actions affect the dance education field. Each teacher’s decisions reflect well or poorly on thousands of other teachers, all of whom love to share their passion for dance. So I would never take an action that would blemish my profession.

Accountability is also a factor in parents’ trust that a teacher’s decisions are appropriate for their children. Parents who respect their children’s teachers as professionals believe that they would never present their children in performance in ways that could even slightly be interpreted as inappropriate—their professional experience and knowledge wouldn’t allow it.

Capable of rational thought or action

To me, being rational means understanding that aspiring to win a trophy or some other form of accolade is no reason to make an inappropriate music, costume, or choreography choice, regardless of the response it might get due to shock value or the few extra points it might gain.

So what I’m saying is that dance teachers have a heck of a lot of responsibility: to their fellow dance educators, their students, and their students’ parents. Now, with that in mind, go back to your brainstorming. I wish you all good things in the new season.

Advice for dance teachers

Dear Rhee,
At the start of last year I hired a well-respected ballet teacher. She is a good teacher who is well prepared for her classes and I have noticed a big difference in my students’ technical skills. They are taking their ballet classes seriously, wearing the proper attire, with their hair in a bun, all of which I hoped for when I hired this teacher.

My problem is that she thinks the other genres of dance we offer are not as respectable as her ballet classes. She is always running overtime, making the students late for other classes. When another teacher asked her to end on time, she said, “These kids don’t need a jazz class; they need the real dance training that they are getting in my ballet classes.” I respect her opinion, but she makes comments like this in front of the students and their parents, which I consider demeaning to my faculty members and to the many styles of dance we offer.

I asked her to end her classes on time and refrain from making negative comments about other forms of dance. She said I should appreciate the fact that she is giving my students and me more than their money’s worth. I explained that the parents are paying for ballet, tap, and jazz and that I was cheating the students out of a full jazz and tap class. She responded that jazz and tap would not make a dancer but that ballet would, then stormed out of the room.

I appreciate the technical qualities that my students are gaining from this teacher, but the conflict in my mind is driving me crazy. Do I keep her and live with the fact that she dislikes what my school offers, replace her, or is there something else I can do? Thanks. —Sabrina

Dear Sabrina,
It sounds like this teacher has more going on in her head than you know. Maybe she lost out on jobs or performance opportunities to dancers who were not trained in ballet, or her own teachers may have told her that ballet was the only true form of dance. Regardless of the reason for her prejudice, she needs to respect the way your school runs and the curriculum or she needs to move on. Hopefully she will have the opportunity to see a performance or sit in on jazz or tap classes to better appreciate the students and qualified teachers who have passion for those forms of dance.

Have one more talk with her to say that refraining from making negative comments about any other dance forms is a condition of her continued employment with you. If she can’t abide by your request, then start looking for a new teacher.

Regarding the time issue, you could schedule a 15-minute window between her classes and the next. That would give her a reasonable window for overtime and still let the kids get to their full jazz and tap classes. I wish you all the best. —Rhee

---

Dear Rhee,
I run a small school in a town with a population of 1,500. I chose the location because there were no dance studios within a 40-mile radius. For many years I have been pulling students from the surrounding towns, bringing my enrollment to 150. That number has allowed me to make a decent living, pay my rent, and employ a secretary and one teacher. The school is a four-days-a-week operation, giving me time to raise my children. Frankly, I loved my life.

Last fall two schools opened within five miles of my location. At first I concentrated on my own business and students. All went well for the first couple of months, and my enrollment was up by 10 percent.

Then one of the schools that opened got hold of my list of students. The owner has been contacting the parents of my students (on the phone and by mailing them postcards with coupons), offering them a two-month free trial at her school. She tells them that they will see a big difference in the training that she offers compared to my school. If they register with her after the trial, they will also receive a free summer session.

I have students who are taking classes from me one day and going to the other school for free lessons on other days. What is making her plan work so well is that she is offering her classes for my students on the days my school is closed, so my students are free to take them. One side of me thinks she is smart to do this and another side believes that this is completely unethical.

In speaking with some of the parents who are taking advantage of the free classes, I’ve learned that this school is very different from mine in terms of discipline and what it offers. There are no ballet classes and the students can wear whatever they want to class. The parents tell me that the kids are enjoying the classes and the teacher. They all mention that the kids love the hip-hop classes, which I do not offer. This school is also going to take its students to dance competitions, and I am not interested in becoming a competitive school.

Two of my students’ moms have told me that their children are not going to return to my school. They have chosen the new school because it is less expensive and the kids love the hip-hop classes and are looking forward to performing at competitions. I am devastated and can’t sleep because I fear that I am going to continue to lose my students. I can’t afford to offer free classes or summer programs, nor do I want to start bringing my students to competition. Do I get out before I lose my shirt, or do you have some suggestions on how to deal with this? —Small-Town Teacher

Dear Small-Town Teacher,
I am sorry to hear about your situation. I have to agree with you that this teacher’s behavior is unethical. No law prevents a teacher from opening a school, and I understand that people are free to operate their businesses anywhere they choose. But because you are in a small town, this teacher had to have known that her success would rely on pulling students from your school. If she didn’t know that when she opened, her actions indicate that she is well aware of it now. Targeting your students with offers of free classes is another indication that ethics don’t matter to her.

You have some decisions to make. Are you willing to invest more time in your school? I’m not talking about teaching more days; I mean spending time strategizing about how to take your business to a new level. Could you find a hip-hop teacher? Would you consider bringing some of your students to a dance competition? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then I would stop losing sleep (I know it is easier said than done) and look at this as an opportunity to refresh your curriculum and learn how to stay one step ahead of the other school.

You’ve been at this a lot longer than the new school owner, so you have more loyalty and name recognition within your community than she has. Use those to your advantage by marketing how long you have been teaching the community’s children. Start to educate your clientele on the importance of the ballet training that you offer and the other school doesn’t. In addition to hip-hop, consider other curriculum that might add to your appeal. It could be anything from Zumba to lyrical or contemporary, as long as it is fresh and new to your clients. Some of what you try might not work, but the fact that you are expanding your offerings could be very enticing to your current and future clientele.

One thing is for sure: This teacher cannot afford to offer free classes for long and stay in business. My guess is that the “new kid on the block” appeal will wear off and that you will remain on top because of your longtime experience. Look at this as your kick in the butt to move on to new things and expand your horizons. Focus on the possibilities in front of you instead of worrying about the other school. Good luck! —Rhee

Student helpers and teaching assistants have much to offer, much to gain

By Steve Sucato

When it comes to running a successful dance studio, taking advantage of all your available resources is key. One of the best resources for any studio is its student body. Student teaching assistants and demonstrators or class assistants can be an invaluable addition to your workforce. By developing a program in which students learn to function in these roles, you create a win–win scenario: Students aid in the school’s day-to-day operations while gaining valuable teaching and leadership skills.

With the proper training, students can provide additional sets of eyes, ears, and hands in the classroom to help with a number of tasks. These can include maintaining order, demonstrating steps, running warm-ups, and in some cases, taking over for a teacher who has been called from the room.

Setting up a program
While the needs of individual studios can vary, many working models of student helper programs have several basic aspects in common, such as the tasks teaching assistants and demonstrators are given and the ways in which the students are compensated for their efforts.

The size of your student helper program and the number of demonstrators and teaching assistants you utilize will depend on the number of students and classes at your studio, your target teacher/student ratio (for instance, a class of a dozen students at a teacher/student ratio of 1:6 would require the use of one student helper in addition to the teacher), as well as your budget for compensating these helpers.

For many studio owners with student helper programs, such as Melissa Hoffman, owner of Melissa Hoffman Dance Center in Hudson, New Hampshire, a two-front approach is the preferred choice. Hoffman’s program uses a combination of student demonstrators and student teaching assistants.

Student helpers’ hours can vary depending on each studio’s need and each student’s availability. For demonstrators and greeter/escorts, 1 to 3 hours per week is typical, whereas teaching assistants tend to work 3 to 10 hours per week or more. In most cases, the studio owners interviewed schedule their assistants to work on days they will be at the studio for their own classes.

Demonstrators
Demonstrators are usually young students who have the skills to act as an example in the classroom for others to imitate. “Student demonstrators have no voice in the class,” says Hoffman. “They don’t make corrections, lead warm-ups, or discipline other students.”

The age at which student demonstrators begin varies from studio to studio. Hoffman starts them at age 13 while Jennifer Kups, owner of Studio J Academy of Dance in Beachwood, Ohio, has demonstrators as young as 10. To train them, she pairs them with older and more experienced demonstrators or student teaching assistants.

Other typical responsibilities of student demonstrators include organizing and lining up younger students for class, helping them with their shoes, helping them use the bathroom, and doing light housekeeping and office duties. Additionally, they can serve as onstage demonstrators to guide young dancers through their routines during dress rehearsals or recitals.

Greeter/escorts
Hedy Perna, owner of Perna Dance Center in Hazlet, New Jersey, takes a different approach to the use of her younger student assistants, whom she calls “interns.”  Her studio has a drop-off service in which the interns greet young children at the car, escort them into the studio, help them with shoes and coats, and line them up for class. This eliminates the need for parents to come into the school when dropping off their children. During classes the interns help around the studio with office work and housekeeping duties, while older student teaching assistants handle all classroom helper duties.

Teaching assistants
Teaching assistants, usually older and upper-level students, act as direct assistants to the primary teachers during class. In addition to (or instead of, in some cases) the duties of student demonstrators, student teaching assistants are often given tasks with more responsibility and that require more skills, such as organizing the music for a class and operating the sound system. They also might lead warm-up exercises, do costume and shoe fittings, and make small corrections. They even can act as substitute teachers when needed. Additionally, assistants can help at recital time by organizing costumes and scenery, working backstage, or serving as onstage demonstrators. They can escort children to the performance areas at competitions as well as aid in studio events such as registration and back-to-school days, parties, and picture days.

Choosing the right students
The jobs of student demonstrator and teaching assistant are just that—jobs—and as in any hiring process, employers should look for certain qualifications and qualities.

Since no one knows the students at your studio better than you and your staff, the process of choosing potential demonstrators and assistants begins there. Like most of the studio directors interviewed for this article, Suzie Wrobel, assistant director of Dance Spectrum in Depew, New York, relies on teacher recommendations in choosing potential student helpers. “Our teachers look for students who seem patient and could talk to other students and relay instruction without being intimidating,” says Wrobel.

With the proper training, students can provide additional sets of eyes, ears, and hands in the classroom to help with a number of tasks.

Whether you post jobs that are open to all students or invite certain ones to apply for the positions, like Wrobel, you’ll want to look for certain qualities in potential student helpers.

Perna has developed a list of criteria for assessing a student’s potential as an assistant:

• Responsibility and dependability
• Technical ability
• Personal initiative and work ethic                  
• Respectful attitude and behavior
• Maturity, readiness, and enthusiasm                          
• Loyalty and commitment to the studio

Other qualities to look for include an outgoing personality and level of comfort in speaking aloud in a classroom full of students (and sometimes parents). Have the students demonstrated that they work well with younger children? Can they handle the added workload in their schedule?

Once they have chosen their student helpers, many studio owners work with them before and during the school year to train them for their jobs. Dance Spectrum holds ongoing classes for student helpers that teach them not only how to do specific tasks but also how to identify proper technique in children.

For example, in a training class, Wrobel has her students call out instructions about body positions during head isolations in a jazz warm-up. “I teach them what to do and what to look for in every exercise,” she says. “If they cannot correct themselves, they cannot correct someone else.”

Other studios pair new demonstrators and assistants with veteran ones for on-the-job training instead of holding separate training classes.

Regardless of the method employed, it is important that both the student helpers and the teaching faculty feel comfortable with the helpers’ capabilities. Some studios go as far as requiring their assistants to be enrolled in each discipline they assist in.

Compensation
While some studios’ student helpers work on a volunteer basis, most studios compensate them in some manner. Rates of cash compensation vary from school to school. Demonstrators and greeter/escorts might be paid a starting wage of as little as $1 to $3 an hour, depending on age and experience. Student teaching assistants typically make minimum wage or higher.

“I pay my student teaching assistants like a real job,” says Hoffman. “The ones who are old enough are put on my payroll. For the older girls who assist, this is a way of making extra money for going out and [paying for] gas without having to seek other employment outside the studio that might interfere with their training.” She pays her assistants $6.50 to $8.50 an hour.

Like other studio owners, Hoffman feels that treating student helpers as employees adds more weight to the positions and encourages the students to take their responsibilities seriously. When some form of compensation is attached to the job, student helpers are more likely to show up to work on time and be prepared for class. Most studio owners expect them to arrange for another student helper to cover for them when they know they will be absent.

Other studios, instead of paying students directly, offer tuition or community service credits as compensation. At Perna Dance Center, student assistants and interns earn $2.50 per hour in tuition credit. These alternative forms of compensation work best for underage demonstrators and teaching assistants who cannot be paid a wage.

Although child labor laws vary from state to state (check your state’s requirements), jobs like these fall under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The act sets wages, hours worked, and safety requirements for minors (individuals under age 18). The rules vary depending on the age of the minor and the job involved. As a general rule, the FLSA sets 14 as the minimum age for employment and limits the number of hours worked by minors under the age of 16. See the U.S. Department of Labor website (dol.gov/dol/topic/youthlabor) for more information.

Benefits to schools
Benefits of employing student helpers include allowing the primary teacher to cover more material in a class, keeping classes moving and on time, offering additional individualized attention to students, lowering the student–teacher ratio in classes, and promoting younger students’ engagement in the class, who look up to the student helpers and want to be like them.

And there is a long-term benefit, too, Wrobel says. “You know what you are getting as a teacher if these assistants someday want to join your faculty. You are training them the way you want them to teach, and you know when you put them in a class they are going to continue that legacy. When you bring in someone from the outside, you really don’t know what kind of teacher they are going to be.”

Benefits to student helpers
For the student demonstrators and teaching assistants themselves, these jobs allow them to earn wages or scholarship money, provide them with basic training as a dance teacher, and generate valuable job and life skills.

“Assisting classes has taught me a lot about how to be a good teacher,” says 17-year-old Amanda Shaw of Melissa Hoffman Dance Center. A student demonstrator and assistant since age 9, Shaw feels that she has a new sense of responsibility and an even greater love for dance because of her work as a student helper.

“Being an assistant teacher has taught me skills useful in any job,” says Shaw’s fellow student Jaclyn Hoffman, the studio owner’s daughter. Jaclyn, also 17, doesn’t see a teaching career in her future, but she says that her experiences as an assistant have helped her became more responsible and more confident in herself and her ability to take charge of groups.

Another benefit, says Dominique Alioto, an 18-year-old student teaching assistant at Studio J, is being in more dance classes. “I take the corrections the teacher gives to the other dancers in the classes I assist in and apply them to myself,” says Alioto. “Even though I have taken the classes before, I keep trying to improve.”

Perhaps the biggest benefit of a student helper program is the reason your dance studio might exist in the first place: It promotes the love of dance and provides a way to share it with others.

Says Alioto, “I like helping younger students get a step and seeing the smile they get knowing they have accomplished something. It is exciting to see.”

What more could you ask for?

How to Be a Great Teaching Assistant

5 tips from Hedy Perna to share with students

1. Talk to your teacher. No matter how experienced you are as a dancer or student assistant, you need to talk to the teachers of the classes you are assigned to assist in. Ask them exactly what your duties will be. Do they want you to operate the music system or take attendance? Also find out how much input they want from you in class.

2. Pay attention to routine. Younger children often do not do well with change. In order for students to learn, they must have a regular and repetitive routine upon which to build basic technique. Write down the order of the class and instructions given to the students. Use the same teaching style and technique weekly. Repeat the same instructions and verbiage that the teachers use. Try to emulate the teachers as much as possible, using similar vocal emphasis and tone.

3. Take notes. Not only does note taking help you to remember the pattern of a class, the students’ names, and teaching hints, but your notes can be used later should you pursue a teaching career. Be prepared to take notes for the teacher if needed. Every step or combination taught in classes you assist in should be written in your notebook. By using those notes in subsequent classes, you should be able to repeat a combination confidently and capably.

4. Be proactive. Help students pay attention in class. At the appropriate times, round up students quickly so the teachers don’t have to stop what they are doing to tell you to organize the students. Help younger children with their shoes, coats, and the like, and accompany them to the bathroom if they need help. Learn every student’s name.

5. Be a great example. Know your dance terminology. Be flawless in your technique. Look professional in dress and demeanor and always be friendly and project an upbeat mood. Most important, always be prepared for class.

By Mignon Furman

Tip 1

A child who disrupts a class obviously wants attention. If the child is young, explain that you need to have someone hold your hand; then firmly and kindly hold that child’s hand. Or give the child a special place in the front of the class, along with the responsibility of being the class model. It usually works well.

Tip 2

An older student who always pushes to be in center front can be very discouraging to the rest of the class. To avoid this, assign the students to specific places in line and then rotate the lines so that all students have the chance to be in front during each class.

 
By Mignon Furman

Tip 1
Stiff and strained-looking hands and fingers, along with thumbs that stick out, show tension in dancers. To help them relax, have them circle their wrists in both directions and feel their fingers move.

Tip 2
Visible strain in the shoulders and an extended ribcage usually indicate that dancers are not breathing correctly. Have the students place their hands on the ribcage with fingers pointing toward each other and breathe in very deeply, so that the space between the hands increases as the ribcage expands. Make certain that they do not raise their shoulders. Have them hold their breath and then blow out through the mouth (quite sharply); this should bring the ribs into alignment and relax any strain in the shoulders.

Words from the publisher

By Rhee Gold

I’ve got a couple of things on my mind this month. First, in October I journeyed to Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, to serve as a keynote speaker for the Australian Teachers of Dance. A few days before I left on my 26-hour flight, the reality that I would be speaking on the other side of the world hit me. I felt a little unsure of myself, which, when it comes to public speaking, has not happened to me in a long time.

Questions were running through my mind: What if these teachers’ issues were different from ours in the States? What if they had a totally different mind-set? After all, they live half a world away from the dance teachers I know. That doubt continued as I started my speech. I sensed a feeling of apprehension in the room—on my part, certainly, but also from the attendees. They looked serious; after all, they had no idea what I was all about.

My keynote was titled “Celebrate the Life!” and I just went for it. As a speaker, you develop an awareness of your audience’s body language, clues that indicate whether you’re winning over the crowd. You know you’ve got it made when, one by one, the attendees sit back in their chairs and take a deep breath. I could see on their faces that their brains were moving a mile a minute. It was so cool to watch them do that, then smile and nod in agreement, which just added fuel to my fire.

As my speech was winding down, I once again realized that all dance teachers, no matter where in the world they are from, feel the same respect for their calling. We all have “dance blood” flowing through our veins; we’ve all experienced the same joys and hardships. No more “what if” worries were running through my mind. After my talk, all the attendees I spoke to asked the same question: “How do you know so much about us?”

On another note, I have been on a committee of dance teachers from New England whose goal was to establish the Rosemarie DeLutis Boyden Memorial Fund, in memory of someone who was a dear friend to so many in our dance community. As dance teachers do, we decided to put on a show.

During the last few weeks before the event, we dealt with worries about ticket sales, planning a rehearsal schedule, choosing backdrops and lighting. It was a unique experience to be working together on the same show, and the sense of comfort that comes with sharing responsibility with others added to the fun.

The show was excellent, with the audience literally dancing in the aisles—what an awesome tribute to Rosie! And it proved that dance educators who join together to make something happen can do just about anything—and have a great time doing it. “Everything’s Coming Up Rosie” is over, but everyone involved will remember Rosie and the experience with a big smile. That’s what it’s all about!

By Mignon Furman

Tip 1
Many young teachers do not teach the vocabulary of classical ballet. We have such a wonderful tradition, and it is necessary for teachers to continue it.

Changement, échappé, pas de chat, and glissade are known by most teachers, but how about assemblé, sissonne, jeté, and pas de bourrée? All basic vocabulary, they are taught as over (dessus) or under (dessous). En avant or devant, en arrière or derrière—it is amazing how many interesting combinations can be devised.

Tip 2
A forward bend is an important stretch (particularly for the hamstrings), so start it at a fairly young age, about 7 or 8. It can be done in two ways: Either the head commences the bend and the body rolls down, or the body hinges at the hips. The head still initiates the movement, but the body hinges at the hips so that it looks like a plank. The head is still relaxed and the bend continues.

In either bend, there must be no pulling back on the legs; the weight of the body should be over the balls of the feet with the heels firmly into the floor.

I have taught dance off and on for eons. Years ago, a class of new kindergartners and I were taking a break, sitting and pointing and flexing our toes. One little blond cherub informed me that her feet were “so tired.” I asked her what she did at school that day to make them so tired. She stood up, hands on little hips, and, looking very serious, replied, “What do you expect? I have been walking on these feet for five years!”

Diana Duda
Diana’s Dance & Fitness Dynamics, Ltd.
Glenwood, IL

Anything to be a princess
After being invited to join the MusicWorks young ballet apprentice program, 7-year-old Nina Dove ran to her mother and excitedly told her that she was going to be in the “a-princess” program. Close enough.

Shelia Sumpter
MusicWorks Studio of Performing Arts
Waynesville, NC

Too much information
I was working with 3- and 4-year-olds, having them move around the room balancing beanbags and holding them on different parts of the body. I asked them to hold the beanbags between their knees and walk around the room. A few seconds later one of the little girls said, “Miss Toni! I’m carrying my beanbag on my vagina!”

Toni-Lynn Miles
Middlesex Dance Center
Middlefield, CT

Times have changed
The kids see my records and say, “That’s the biggest CD I’ve ever seen.” And my 13-year-old teaching assistant didn’t know how to turn the record player on!

Donna Butters
Donna’s Dance Place
Cedar Rapids, IA

Too much information, take 2
You know how when little kids get talking they always enter the “more than I need to know” zone? When I was pregnant and teaching 3- and 4-year-olds, there were always plenty of questions from them. I tried to answer in a delicate and appropriate way. One little girl said, “My mom can’t have babies anymore—she got her cords connected.” I said, “OK! Let’s do some pliés,” and moved on.

Jill Keating
Pointe Chautauqua Dance
Mayville, NY

By Mignon Furman

Tip 1
Often parents live their lives through their children. I have frequently heard a mom say, “We have started pointe work,” as if the mother were also in pointe shoes. Children will progress more in their studies when parents are not so involved.

Parents should be able to view classes only at designated times. (I suggest once a semester.) All contact with parents should be through email or mail, and discussions with the teacher or director should be by appointment only.

Tip 2
When parents feel that their children are superior to their classmates, you must help them learn to trust your judgment. Explain that class placement is determined by what is best for the child and that students make more progress when they are comfortable instead of struggling to keep up. Parents must learn that progress in ballet is measured not by the number or complexity of the steps but by the training of the body to perform more demanding technique later.

Advice for dance teachers

Dear Rhee,
I have been teaching for 25 wonderful years and still love what I do. That said, I have been presented with a dilemma. My studio has a competitive team, and we have only done regionals to this point. However, a parent is pushing for her 9-year-old daughter to attend a national competition because it is close to where we live and her daughter wants to do it. The competition does not accept individual entries; therefore, I would have to enter it, and it happens to be the week of my recital. So I cannot go to the competition, nor can I send a faculty member to represent my school. Also, I feel that if I let this girl go, I need to open the competition to the rest of the girls. But is that fair to the studio to have this disruption right before the recital? —Carolyn

Hello Carolyn,
It might be time for you to start to think about participating in a national competition, but not this way. You should not let a parent push you into participating, especially when the event interferes with your recital. The stress associated with the show and having your kids be in a competition (especially one that you cannot attend) is more than this mom should be asking of you. I would tell her that you cannot participate this year but that you will consider a national event for your team in the future.

It’s not easy when parents interfere in areas they should leave to your discretion. Be strong and stand up for what you know is right for you and your other students. Good luck! —Rhee

---

Dear Rhee
I have a question regarding costumes, music, and choreography for adult dancers who are amateurs. I choreographed a piece to “Rich Man’s Frug” and purchased blonde bob wigs and dresses. Granted, the costumes looked better in the catalog than on the adult bodies. These dancers are doing nothing but complaining. We had an in-studio dress rehearsal last evening and they frumped through the routine looking like they were in extreme pain. How do I get them to just go onstage and have fun? Any advice you can give me would be greatly appreciated. —Lisa

Hello Lisa,
I would ask the dancers what they would like to do with the costumes to make them feel more comfortable (maybe add something?). This is not an easy situation, but in the future, you might want to have a seamstress make the adult students’ costumes or let them find something they feel comfortable wearing. Sometimes an adult body needs something different from what the catalogs offer. I wish you all the best. —Rhee 

---

Hello Rhee,
I have a simple question. My 9-year-old son dances for my dance studio. Should he wear tights under his costumes so that he matches how the girls look or should he have bare legs? For the tap routine the girls wear tan tights and tan shoes and he wears capri-length pants. For the lyrical routine, the girls are in brown dresses with tan stirrup tights and he wears brown shorts; for the hip-hop routine (black capris and black sneakers), the girls wear tan tights and black sneakers— should he just wear black socks? Until now his costumes have all been long pants. We want to be confident that he dances and looks like a young man. Thank you so much for your masculine authority! —Andrea

Dear Andrea,
My thought is to get rid of the capri pants and get him some long pants to wear in these numbers. Although I have put boys in capri pants, it is usually for a piece in which they don’t wear shoes. Putting your son in tights with socks and shoes would look strange. (I would be intimidated by that myself.) Don’t concern yourself so much with how well he matches the girls; you can accomplish that by matching the right shirt or top with the girls’ costumes. Because he is a male, that alone makes him look different from the girls, and his look should be different. I wish you all the best. —Rhee 

---

Dear Rhee,
The single mother of a student in my dance company has been fighting breast cancer for years. Two years ago she ran up a huge bill and I told her I would allow her to make payments throughout the summer months to catch up. Come September of the next year she still had a balance, and then of course her current bills kept adding up.

Although she kept trying to make payments, some checks were returned again. She was approaching a balance due of around $2,800. Toward the end of the season, with the recital approaching, I said she would have to pay her costume balances and other material items but that I would forgive her tuition bill. She would start with a fresh slate in September 2008, but I told her she would have to keep her account paid up to date. For a few months it went fine and I was a good person in her eyes and she said would never forget what I did for her daughter.

Fast forward to 2009. She owes me around $900. My recital is in two and a half weeks. I have spoken to her, explaining that I cannot continue on this path as I have salaries, rent, and utilities to pay. Then I got a note from her asking for a detailed listing of her costs because she thinks I am charging her incorrectly. How soon she forgets what was done for her.

I printed out a detailed list and have not gotten a check since. She will not return my calls, and her 16-year-old daughter continues to come to class every week. I think the mom is calling my bluff that I will not pull her out of her dance for the recital. Doing so is not my nature and I don’t want to have to make the teachers change the choreography.

She sent in a ticket order, and I could apply that amount to the account, but it is only $96. I didn’t forgive the bill so I could put myself on a pedestal; no one knew about it except my office manager and me. But now I’m the bad person for having the nerve to ask her for the money. The girl’s teacher overheard her saying how I harass her mom constantly about money. What should I do? —Frustrated

Dear Frustrated,
I would probably be as frustrated as you are with this situation. One thing that’s important to remember is that you already went beyond the call of duty for this mom and her daughter. You are to be commended for that, whether they recognize it or not.

At this point, you have to let go of the emotions involved and let this mom know that you are not harassing her but are requesting payment for services rendered, just as you would with any other student in your school. If your policy states that all tuition and other monies owed to the school must be paid in full in order for students to be in the recital, then you have no choice but to take action.

Either in a phone call or a letter, explain that you cannot process her ticket request because of the outstanding balance for lessons. Ask her if she would like you to apply the $96 to that outstanding account and then ask when you can expect the remainder of her balance. If she does not pay the bill, then her daughter cannot perform in the show. As harsh as that may seem, the rest of your clients are adhering to your school’s policies; plus, you have already given to this family in a time of need. It is time for this parent to show appreciation for what you have done and take care of her balance due with respect and appreciation. If she doesn’t do that, then know in your heart that you have done all you can and that will have to be enough for you.

Don’t stop giving, though—many people in need will appreciate your kindness and not forget it. And those who do will appreciate you long after the dance classes are over. That’s what it’s all about. Good luck! —Rhee

By Mignon Furman

Tip 1
Pirouette en dedans should be the easiest way to turn; it is the most natural. However, problems arise when turning is made so technical that the dancers become tense, restricting the movement.

Preparation is from a fourth position facing croisé with weight over the front foot on a bent knee with the back leg straight. The arms are in third with the same arm in front as the front leg.

Do not over-cross the croisé position and make certain that the shoulders and hips are aligned. The movement of the working leg should coordinate with the side arm. The working foot can come directly to the turning position (under the knee of the supporting leg) or pass through second. Try not to stop the turn but continue with the feeling of turning with the arms in first.

Tip 2
For piqué (posé) turns, dancers must push from demi-plié onto an extended, fully stretched leg. The arms open to second and then close into first position on the turn; coupe is performed on completing the turn. Stepping onto piqué without turning, and using the coupe to make the turn, is incorrect.

Arms should open on the piqué so that the leading arm points in the direction of travel. I tell young dancers that the leading arm is like a direction finder indicating where to go and the arm that closes is the engine.

Advice for dance teachers

Dear Rhee,
I am a ballet school owner who has been in business for 21 years. Recently a student’s mother told me that her daughter would not be returning in the fall because they feel that I am old-fashioned. (I am 44 years old.) The mom said that requiring my students to wear a black leotard and pink tights to ballet class was “out of style” and that her daughter wanted to wear colors that would look better with her complexion. She also told me that it was ridiculous to require my students to wear their hair pulled back.

Students sometimes quit because ballet isn’t right for them or because they want to try something else, but I’ve never lost a student because I was “old-fashioned.” My dress code has been in place since I opened my school and I have never had a complaint about it.

What really concerns me is that this student is very popular at school and among my other students. She and her mother are badmouthing me, and I am afraid I will lose other students because of the dress code. I am so upset that someone would leave my school because of something that has nothing to do with the quality of my training. Should I eliminate my dress code? Please help! —Mariah

Hello Mariah,
Please don’t give in to this ridiculous mom and student. There are parents and kids who don’t understand or appreciate dance like those who have the passion do. It’s OK; we will not win everyone over all the time. But we are the spark that lights the fire for those who choose to discover the dance in their soul! It’s sad, and hard to understand, but some students look in the mirror and notice their complexion and not the dance spirit that is looking them in the face.

If you don’t already do it, I suggest that you include a statement about why you have a dress code in your literature or handbooks. When students and parents understand that there’s a reason for the dress code, they are more likely to accept it without question.

If you are “old-fashioned,” so am I and so are thousands of other dance educators who read Dance Studio Life. I will wear that badge proudly, and I’m sure others would too. You are to be applauded and appreciated! —Rhee

---

Dear Rhee,
My dance studio is in its tenth year of business. It is fairly small, but I keep trying new things to attract more students since two other studios are nearby. Since I am older than most studio owners just starting out, I have younger teachers working for me. All of them were my students.

One of them, whom I have known since she was a baby, is in her early 20s, and her mother is my receptionist. Occasionally I get complaints that she is too strict with the students, and I have to defuse the situation with the parents so as not to lose a student. Then there are students whom this teacher gets really close to—she babysits them, drives them to and from the dance studio and competitions, and takes them on outings.

At a competition this teacher told one of my students that she was getting too close to one of the team members and needed to be friends with all of the members. The girl was devastated and her mother complained to me. We have had some clique-type trouble at the studio, but I felt that a competition was not the place to take care of this. When I told the teacher that she should have let me deal with this situation, she went crying to her mother. Every time I try to discuss problems with her, this is what happens, and then her mother becomes angry with me.

I can sit down and discuss problems with my other teachers like adults. Is it a problem that this teacher and her mother get so close to the students? I feel it compromises the student–teacher relationship and that other students might see the behavior as favoritism. How should I handle this? —Ashlee

Hi Ashlee,
The first thing that comes to mind is that this teacher is not mature enough to be teaching. If she were, she would understand that a proper teacher–student (or teacher–parent) relationship should be professional at all times. That means that teachers don’t hang out with their students. This teacher should baby-sit only children who are not her students, and she should not be taking her students on outings.

There is another conflict here: the teacher’s mom works for you and gets mad at you for telling her daughter (one of your employees) what you expect as boss and owner. This teacher and her mom don’t understand the professional side of the relationship.

The fact that you have to deal with one ounce of stress when speaking your mind to an employee is a situation that you need to change. Employees who cry when they are told how they can improve or what is expected of them are not emotionally ready to be teaching.

Yes, you are the one who should be handling the clique issues you described and a competition is not the place to do it. Have one last talk with this teacher and her mom, and if things don’t change, then it’s time for you to initiate the change that has to happen. I wish you luck. —Rhee

---

Dear Rhee,
We are having a big problem at the school where I teach. It is early registration time for next year, and suddenly people don’t want their children to be in the same class as some other students. The owner of the school is very good at letting the students know that that they belong in the class she has put them in. I know parents want their children to be in a more advanced level, but that isn’t so much the problem. It seems like people think they are better than one another and don’t want to be in class with them.

This idea is so far from the studio culture the owner has created. Our students are diverse—all ages, races, religions, and sizes. It is truly a melting pot and everyone is accepted for who they are. The philosophy of the school is making sure that every student who walks through the door feels loved and accepted. The owner is always on her game and nips any gossip or negativity in the bud, so we can’t figure out where this is coming from.

Any advice you have would be greatly appreciated. If I learn nothing else from this experience, I am learning how, if I ever become a parent myself, not to behave. —Annabelle

Dear Annabelle,
Although the behavior of these parents goes against your school’s philosophy, it’s obvious that they feel comfortable enough to express their opinions. So in order to solve this problem, you and the school owner need to figure out why this has happened. Has one mom spread her opinion to other parents, causing them to jump on the bandwagon? Could it be that the parents have been allowed to express their opinions on similar things in the past and so they feel perfectly comfortable telling you who should or should not be in their child’s class?

The parents need to be told that the school owner is the only decision maker regarding class placement and that their input will not be considered. She is the person who knows which students need a challenge and which are not ready for it, and she is a professional when it comes to those decisions.

It’s time for her to make changes so that parents don’t feel comfortable enough to tell her how to run her school. My first instinct is to say something along the lines of, “I appreciate your opinions, but decisions on class placement are based on my professional knowledge. I’m sure you wouldn’t want me to listen to an inexperienced parent who thinks your child isn’t capable of being in a particular class.”

Talk to your boss about how you can keep fighting for what you believe is the right culture for the school, and tell her I said not to let anyone tell her how to do things. All the best to you. —Rhee

Employees vs independent contractors: Knowing the difference matters to the IRS—and you

By Melissa Hoffman

Do you know the difference between an employee and an independent contractor? Does it really matter which way school owners in the United States classify and pay their staff teachers? The answer is yes. It matters to the Internal Revenue Service, and that means it should matter to you.

When I began teaching, more than 25 years ago, I was always paid as an independent contractor. Thus, when I opened my studio I did the same with my teachers, simply because I knew no other way. Not until I received a registered letter from the State of New Hampshire unemployment office informing me that I owed a substantial amount of money in back taxes did I learn otherwise. Here’s what happened: One of my teachers, who had a full-time job elsewhere, filed for unemployment and needed to list me as an additional employer. This prompted the unemployment office to ask if I employed independent contractors. When I reported 15 people whom I paid as contractors, that sent up a red flare.

After a nerve-wracking hearing with my attorney with five years of business records in tow, it was determined that my teachers are employees, not independent contractors. I was lucky, though, because I did not have to pay back taxes and penalties from the previous years, which could have put me out of business.

What saved me was that six years earlier, a representative from the unemployment office had questioned me about the fact that I had numerous independent contractors. Based on our conversation, he determined I had paid them properly. Because I had documented that conversation, the unemployment office had no basis for collecting back taxes. However, I was told that the advice I had received was incorrect and that all the teachers who worked for me on a recurring weekly schedule were employees.

Responsibilities with employees
This change in my teachers’ status meant that I was responsible for putting all employees on payroll and withholding all the appropriate taxes. On my accountant’s recommendation, I signed on with a payroll service. Though there is a monthly fee, it takes care of all tax filings, quarterly and annually.

Once my teachers were on the payroll I quickly learned why some business owners like to keep teachers on as independent contractors: Having employees is more expensive. As the employer, not only do you withhold payroll taxes, but you also pay into Social Security, federal, and unemployment tax funds. New Hampshire has no state income taxes; therefore there is no state withholding. However, if you choose to do payroll on your own, be sure that you understand the laws in your state.

As an employer you are responsible for workers compensation insurance as well, and the rate is calculated annually based on the previous year’s total payroll. In other words, if your payroll is high, your rates for workers compensation will be correspondingly higher than those for employers whose payroll is low. Because having employees is more expensive than paying contractors, school owners may feel forced into decreasing the base pay rate to offset the taxes being paid.

But there is also a positive side to having employees. For me, the biggest advantage is the loyalty I feel from my employees. Not only do they know they have a steady job and, according to our policy, cannot be terminated unless the school has three poor reviews on record, they also know that I rely on them throughout the year. That’s an important factor, especially in today’s economy. My employees and I work as a team and don’t feel uncomfortable asking for a hand with something extra. This extra help does not go unrecognized. I might buy them dinner or give them a stipend after a competition weekend, and I pay them for rehearsals and staff meetings.

With a payroll system, my school not only pays into the teachers’ Social Security benefits, we are also able to offer a 401(k) plan. Dance teachers who have always worked as independent contractors may not have had an opportunity to plan for their futures, and offering them such funds can be of great benefit to them. Our employees now can collect unemployment benefits during the summer months if they choose to, which they could not do as independent contractors.

Defining the difference
The IRS defines an independent contractor as someone who has the right to control or direct only the result of the work and not the means and methods of accomplishing the results. Some examples of contractors in the dance education business are master teachers who are hired for summer programs; former students, now working dancers, who return to a school to fill in as temporary teachers; or choreographers who are hired to set works on your students.

If you hire someone to work as an independent contractor, it’s wise to document each factor you used in determining that person’s status. That way, if you are ever audited you will have concrete reasons for your decision.

In contrast, an employee is someone who can control what will be done and how it will be done; the important distinction is that an employee has the right to control the details of the services being performed. For example, at my school there is a Pre-Ballet I class every Monday at 3:00 p.m.; it uses the same syllabus as all the other Pre-Ballet I classes and the same dancers come every week. Within that structure, my teachers can make their own decisions; thus they control the details.

Common law rules
Common law rules can help you determine whether you have employees or independent contractors. The common factor in these rules is the amount of control you have regarding what, when, and how classes are taught.

Advantages

• Behavioral: Does the company have the right to control what the worker does and how the worker does his or her job? In my school’s case the answer would be yes, depending on the level of the class. The teachers of the younger classes work via a syllabus, and although I don’t give exact class plans, I do ask them to accomplish a certain goal by year’s end.
• Financial: Are the business aspects of the job controlled by the payer? Again, in my case the answer would be yes since I alone control the business of signing up dancers and collecting tuition.
• Type of relationship: Are there written contracts or employee-type benefits (such as pensions, insurance, vacation time)? Will the relationship continue and is the work performed a key aspect of the business? This one was harder for me to answer because I do not use contracts and it was not until we went on payroll that we had employee-type benefits. However, I could answer yes to the second part of the question since each teacher brings something different to my school and each is key to its success.

Documentation and communication
If you hire someone to work as an independent contractor, it’s wise to document each factor you used in determining that person’s status. That way, if you are ever audited you will have concrete reasons for your decision.

For many school owners, the thought of increasing expenses by putting teachers on payroll is overwhelming. However, not doing so and having the IRS or the state determine that you do indeed have employees could put you at great risk of owing back taxes and penalties. If you have determined that you should be paying your teachers as employees and need to adjust your rates to compensate for the increase in your expenses, sit down with your teachers and explain the situation. They should understand that having Social Security and Medicare taxes withheld ultimately benefits them.

For more information, visit the IRS website, irs.gov, and go to the small-business section to learn about your state’s unemployment policies. We encourage you to get an accountant’s or tax lawyer’s help if there is any doubt about whether to treat your staff as contract workers or employees.

Tips for Independent Contractors        

By Caroline Batson

Many young dance instructors come and go because of their lack of experience in dealing with studio owners. Don’t be your own worst enemy!

Appearance. Don’t dye your hair four different shades and wear all of your piercings. Watch what you wear. Don’t show your midriff, and if you are going to don those booty shorts, wear tights for the sake of the dads who come to watch their children’s classes. You need to find a look that is attractive to the studio owner and the parents of the children you will be teaching. Find a style that is all yours, but shoot for the conservative side.

Say yes. You’ve landed your first job; now what? Make yourself available to try new things. Teach the preschoolers? Why not? Read everything you can on child development. You can’t always start off teaching the competition team, and if you won’t take the job unless you can, you are shooting yourself in the foot.

Be there. Don’t start your new job by taking days off. If you’re hired in the fall, you should stay on the job steadily until after Christmas; too many substitutes can cause some of your students to leave. Be consistent; you’ll be assigned to more classes the next season.

Be on time.  Some teachers think that being a contractor means they can come and go. Wrong! You signed a contract saying you’d be there. Show good character and arrive a half-hour before class. Get organized, chat with the studio owner, and engage with the children as they arrive. The more you bond with your students, the more they will want you to teach them next year.

Be memorable. Help the owner with whatever she needs. Finish your recital dances by mid-April; be positive and encouraging; and when other teachers don’t show up, step in for them. Give your best, and payback will come in the form of more classes and a good reputation.

Leave your troubles at the door. Come to the studio with a smile, ready to change the world. Keep your eye on the goal: You are there to teach, not to tell your students about your life and hard times. Say, “Isn’t it a great day to dance? Let’s get to it.”

Love the work. Love to keep learning. Love the students, the crazy backstage moms, the studio owner, and that older teacher who keeps tabs on you. (She wants you to have a job next fall.) Enjoy the ride!

By Mignon Furman

Tip 1
What age to start pointe work? This is a question frequently asked by teachers, and my advice is not before 10 or 11 years of age. But the most important criterion is not the age of the dancer but her strength. Are the ankles strong? Are the muscles around the knee stable? Can the child hold her body correctly with the weight over the three points of the foot (big toe, little toe, and heel)?  

An important factor in developing strength is how many lessons the child takes per week. My preference is to put on pointe only those children who take a minimum of three classes per week.

Tip 2
Once a child is ready to start pointe work, the teacher must make certain that the pointe shoes fit correctly: too big, and friction can cause blisters; too tight, and dancing with cramped toes (instead of relaxed toes that lie flat in the shoe) can cause injury to the Achilles tendon. A good, knowledgeable shoe fitter is a necessity.

Advice for dance teachers

Dear Rhee,
I read in your Q&A section about studio owners expanding locations. I was thinking about expansion two years ago myself and am glad I didn’t do it. Many homes are in foreclosure and people are losing their jobs—and this is a more affluent area that seemed to be stable. I had 485 students in 2006 and now I have 235, the number I had my first year in business, six years ago.

The students we do have are dedicated and happy, as is my staff. But I am out of money. My expenses in payroll, accounting, advertising, and rent have all increased since my first year. I just had a baby and my 16 instructors and office manager are running the studio beautifully while I recover. I have subs for the six classes I teach. I know I will teach more classes next season, but I am actually considering lowering my rates in order to stimulate an interest in dance and make it accessible to the population again. Any thoughts? —Affected by Economy

Dear Affected,
I am sorry to hear about your circumstance, and I want to assure you that you are not alone. Many school owners across the United States and Canada are feeling the strain of the economy. They too are losing enrollment and finding that the unemployment rate in their area is making it impossible for parents to afford to keep their children dancing.

Although we can’t predict what will happen down the road, I’m finding that dance schools in pockets of North America are feeling the pinch, while other areas have not been hit as hard. The latter group is maintaining their enrollment numbers, and I have spoken with some school owners whose enrollment is actually up this season.

Overall it seems that though many households are forced to cut back on expenses, parents want to keep their children dancing or in their other activities. Keeping your children active is a good thing in today’s society, and many parents are doing what they can to make that happen.

The most important thing you can do is be realistic and start eliminating expenses right away. In your situation, I would think about the possibility of combining some of the smaller classes and reevaluating whether a school with 235 students needs to maintain a faculty of 16. One of the keys to making it through this period is consistent, realistic self-evaluation of your status and what steps you need to take to make it to the other side of this major bump in the road.

Regarding lowering the cost of tuition, I feel conflicted. My instinct says not to do it. I believe that if you do, once the economy improves you will have a hard time increasing your rates to where they are today. And that could make your own economic slump last longer than it has to. If you cut your rates to encourage new enrollment, your current clients will want the discounted rate as well. And if you do not get new enrollment, your business will be bringing in less income than it does today.

That said, if your instinct tells you that you can bring in a good enrollment with this move, then I can’t advise against it. But please look at the numbers first. Know how much your income from your current clientele will decrease and how many new students you must enroll to make up for that loss. Target the additional number of students that you need to acquire to increase your profits, and then do everything in your power to make it happen.

It’s also important to keep your cool and understand that this is about the state of the economy and not about you. Lately I have met school owners who believe that they are experiencing a downturn because they have done something wrong or because they are not good enough. It’s not about the quality of their work or a lack of passion; it is about an economy that is far beyond any school owner’s control. This is a time when dance school owners need to be as creative with their business strategies as they are with their choreography and curriculum. Evaluate where the income is really coming in and know that you must focus on what you do best to stay ahead in the economic game. Let go of your ego and emotions that can keep you from doing what you know is best for your future. Try new things, and look at this as a time when we all need to get back to the basics in life, our classrooms, and our schools.

I wish you all good things. —Rhee

---

Dear Rhee,
I own a dance studio in a small shopping center with four stores. I am in my third year of running the studio and on the last term of my lease. After attending the DanceLife Teacher Conference last summer, I was ready to get back into the swing of things. But as soon as I got back I found out that one store that was in my center had moved and my landlord had rented the space to a young girl who is starting a ballet academy.

Since then I have not been myself. I am so worried about this ballet studio that it is consuming me. I feel betrayed by my landlord and, most of all, lost. Parents are already asking me if I know who this girl is. And since my lease is up in August, I am scared that my landlord might throw me out, since he knows this girl’s father.

I had asked the landlord to let me know if any space opened in this center. When I found out about the opening and asked him about it, he told me that parking was an issue since my studio uses the bulk of the center’s lot. Then he told me they didn’t want to rent two buildings to one person. I explained to him that I teach ballet too and that we would be competing with each other, and he said that he would have this girl call me to discuss the situation, which she never did.

So my question is, should I resign my lease there and look for another space? Sometimes I feel like quitting, but when I focus on teaching my classes, especially the little ones, I know I love it. I know that right now, especially with the economy, getting a new space might be hard, but I see the benefits of it also. When I go to the studio now, the first thing I do is look at her studio, because she is in the storefront and my studio is in the back. I could use your advice and guidance. —Janine

Hello Janine,
Coincidentally, I recently spoke with a woman who had opened a dance school next door to another. I asked her, “Why did you make the choice that you did?” Before she could answer, I added, “Did it cross your mind that the move would be perceived as unethical?” Her response: “This is America; capitalism is alive and well, and I am taking advantage of the situation, even if it puts the other school out of business.” It’s not very often that I want to smack a person, but I did at that moment.

I relate your tale to that conversation. Yes, America is based on capitalism, but I do believe that there must have been a time when we mixed integrity, ethics, and just plain old respect into the recipe for success.

With all that said, from what you’ve described, it’s time for you to start looking for a new location. Get a lawyer to scan your current lease to be sure that your landlord has the right to rent to a competing business. If there is not a clause in the lease that he is unaware of, then ask the lawyer to get you out of the lease. And while he’s working on that, find a new location. Make your move as soon as possible so that your clientele will be familiar with your new home before the end of this season. That should keep them from entertaining the thought of going to the new ballet school in your former location.

I understand that you are not yourself and that this dilemma is consuming you, but you have to whip yourself into shape to carry on with your dream. You will discover that this is a kick in the butt that will force you to take a leap into something new. Chances are you will be smarter, better, and stronger when this situation is behind you. Don’t allow it to get you down; see it as motivation to make yourself the best you can be, and hold your head high. As corny as it sounds, what goes around comes around. Carry on with your ethical capitalism intact. —Rhee

By Mignon Furman

Tip 1
Hyperextended (or swayback) legs create a beautiful line but present problems with strength and stability in some areas, including pointe work. When working on pointe, the weight needs to be well forward and the knees must be in line over the toes, not pushed back.

Tip 2
Teachers often ask whether it is better to tell students to get the knees straight and allow the heels to be slightly apart in first position or to stand with the heels together and the knees slightly relaxed. I recommend standing with the heels together and the weight more forward than normal. The knees should be as straight as possible and one knee must not be in front of the other. A therapist once advised me to put a small, soft lift in the heels of the shoes; it certainly helped to get the weight forward.

Advice for dance teachers

Dear Rhee,
For more than 25 years I have been teaching at the studio where I trained as a student. I loved working for the school owner, who was my teacher and a tremendous mentor. Last year she had a stroke and has been in a nursing home for several months. It does not look like she is going to become well enough to return home or back to the school.

For the last several months I have been working for the school owner’s son, who has been put in charge of his mother’s estate. The problem is that he knows nothing about dance, the business, or the people who have been loyally working for his mother all these years. He arrives every night to collect the day’s deposits and continually makes remarks about how he doesn’t trust those who are working for him.

Last week, he told our studio manager (who has been working there longer than I have) that he suspected her of stealing from the business. He said this to a woman who is closer to his mom than anyone in the world; they are best friends. That was her last night at the studio. After he had expressed his views she walked out, never to return. I have spoken with her several times and she is devastated over losing her best friend and the fact that anyone would accuse her of stealing. She just isn’t that kind of person.

Now our studio manager is the owner’s daughter-in-law, who had only been to the school once in her entire life. She is not friendly to the staff or the clientele, and the atmosphere of the school is very dark. There is no more camaraderie or laughter. Everything is serious and the focus seems to be on how much money is coming in.

It is hard for me because I know that the school owner would be humiliated to know what has happened to the school she loved so much and that her faculty is being treated the way it is. I believe that it is time for me to leave. I taught all these years for the joy of it, not because I needed the money. My issue is that I don’t want to let my teacher-mentor down. I have tried to hang in there, but each day at the school has become heartbreaking to me. I don’t want to work for the son and daughter-in-law any longer. Can you offer some words of wisdom? —Melody

Hello Melody,
What a unique situation! I can’t help but think that your circumstance is really about how life changes and nothing stays the same. It took me until my early 30s to accept that change is inevitable and that we can’t live our lives wishing things could be the way they used to be. All we can do is cherish the memories and move on to making new ones.

For more than 25 years you have been a loyal employee to your former teacher and boss. Let go of any guilt that you may have over making a decision about your own future. If this school is not the same as the one you started working for, then this is your curve in the road that leads you in a new direction. That is not something that should cause you guilt. Everything happens for a reason, and that means that there is a new door for you to dance through. All you have to do is look for it.

Get yourself out of the toxic work atmosphere and let the studio owner’s son and daughter-in-law do things their way. They will learn that loyal employees are vital to running a successful business or they will fail. But whatever happens, you will have nothing to do with it. All you need to remember are the good experiences you had working for such an awesome teacher. And realize that you will always have her with you in your heart, because you have those memories of the good times. Let go of the old and get ready for the new. I wish you all the best. —Rhee

---

Hi Rhee,
Thank you for being such an inspiration and role model for dance teachers everywhere. I have a question about studio managers: What should the wages be? I recently moved to a new location, and my studio manager/bookkeeper (who used to work out of my home) now has a full presence at the studio. She works the desk while doing the books. We also have senior girls who work the desk and get paid minimum wage. My husband (who handles the budget) is concerned that my studio manager/bookkeeper is getting paid $25 per hour to work the desk, compared to the senior girls who get paid minimum wage. Thank you! —Karen

Hello Karen,
My thought is that you are right on track with how you’re handling the wages for both the students and the studio manager. Your husband needs to take into account the fact that your studio manager is doing more than merely staffing the desk; you are paying her for her bookkeeping work, too. The average studio manager makes $15 to 20 per hour, so you are above average on that one. I think minimum wage is right for the students. If they were to work outside of the school, in many cases, they would receive the same compensation you are offering them. By the way, many school owners do not pay students to work the desk but instead exchange lessons for their work time. I wish you all the best. —Rhee

---

Dear Rhee,
What are your thoughts on joining one of the organizations for dance teachers? I have been avoiding becoming a member because I have heard that there is a lot of petty jealousy and politics in the groups in my area. I have a friend who was expelled from one of the organizations because another member lost a student to my friend’s school. The organization accused my friend of soliciting the student, which wasn’t true.

I am interested in joining because I want to take the classes and workshops they offer. I know I need to stay on top of my teaching skills and going to the big city to take class is not an option for me. I also think I would enjoy networking with other teachers, but I want no stress in my life. And I don’t want any part of the politics. Is it possible to be a member without getting involved in the pettiness that I hear about? Thanks for your input. —Jane

Dear Jane,
I am a second-generation member of a few of the dance teacher organizations and I have witnessed and experienced the politics you describe. However, I feel that I have benefited from being a member. The classes and workshops offered have enriched my teaching skills, and the lifelong friendships I have made with other teachers (even my competitors) are something I wouldn’t trade for anything.

One of the things I discovered a long time ago is that much of the politics has its roots in the competition end of the organizations. My suggestion is that you join with a focus on continuing your education and not getting involved in the competition side of things. The original intent of the organizations was to bring teachers together to share and learn. If enough of us join with this as our philosophy, we will eventually get back to a place of respect and camaraderie among dance educators. Who needs the politics when we all share the same passion for our art? So yes, I do recommend that you join for the right reasons and I am sure you will benefit tremendously. Good luck! —Rhee

---

Hi Rhee,
A parent at my studio has been talking in the lobby about how she can’t wait for next year, when her daughter will do the dance team at school and take dance at my competitor’s studio. (My competitor coaches the local middle and high school dance teams and requires the dance team kids to take class at her studio, which I feel is a conflict of interest.)

I would like to give this parent a refund and tell her that she can just go to that studio right now. Is that wrong? And what should I do if she backtracks and says she doesn’t want to leave, and then next fall she is gone? I would love to know what you would do in this situation. —Denise

Hello Denise,
Any negativity being expressed in your lobby needs to be confronted as soon as you know it’s happening. I would have no problem sitting down with this parent in my office and letting her know that it is time to move on. As for the possibility of her backtracking and telling you that she wants to stay, explain that she needs to go to the competitor’s studio now because it is |obvious to you (and other parents at your school) that she is not happy with your school, and let it go at that. Wish her and her child all the best, and then focus on all the other students who do appreciate your school. Good luck! —Rhee

By Mignon Furman

Tip 1
How do you get students to keep straight lines when dancing in a group or ensemble for a competition or recital? It’s simple: Teach them to look directly at the back of the head of the dancer in front of them (right at the bun, if it’s a girl).

When turning and moving the lines in a sideways direction (i.e., toward the wings), the focus of each dancer’s eyes needs to be on the side of the head of the dancer in front of her.

Tip 2
When dancers are moving in a circle, often the circle becomes smaller or elongated, like an egg shape. To maintain a good shape of the proper size, the dancers must keep their eyes on the outside shoulder of the dancer in front of them.  

Dance Masters of America celebrates 125 years of excellence

By Steve Sucato

One of the age-old questions in any area of education is “Who teaches the teachers?” For more than a century in the field of dance education that question has been answered with “Dance Masters of America.”

The international organization of certified dance educators (founded in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1884 as the American National Association, Masters of Dancing) has been at the forefront of dance education and standardization ever since. The group was renamed Dancing Masters of America in 1926 after merging with the like-minded International Masters of Dancing. It adopted its current name in 1948. Today DMA boasts more than 2,000 members in 4 countries, and its 33 active chapters provide a myriad of dance education programs for its members.

This year Dance Masters of America celebrates 125 years of helping countless individuals become better dance educators as well as scores of dance students to realize their academic and professional aspirations.

Standards
Since its inception DMA has recognized the need for a professional level of teaching standards in the dance industry. Its mission has been to develop that set of standards, providing its membership with a comprehensive curriculum and syllabuses they can benefit from and that provide a means to measure themselves and become certified.

“Anyone can put up a sign and say they are a dance teacher,” says former DMA president and 30-year member Mimi Costa-White. “We are trying to make sure students are taught correctly and not in a harmful way.”

That sentiment is shared by fellow DMA member Debbie Davenport from St. Charles, Missouri. A dance instructor for more than 30 years, Davenport feels that “there needs to be some kind of control over what is being taught in America.”

Membership
To become a DMA member, applicants must adhere to its set of standards by testing in the disciplines they teach, such as ballet, tap, or jazz. Having passed their tests, new members become certified and can take advantage of a number of member benefits, including: reduced ASCAP and BMI yearly rates, the use of Dance Masters of America’s emblem in their advertising, group health insurance, dance workshops, member periodicals, and competitions and scholarship opportunities for the members’ students. 

What does membership actually mean to its members? For many of the people interviewed for this article, being a DMA member gave them a sense of validation in their teaching skills and a sense of personal accomplishment in passing the membership process.

One such member is Dee Buchanan from Middletown, Maryland, who says, “To me the name of the organization is really astute because many of its members really are master dance teachers. For a number of years I attended workshops as a non-member, until at one workshop I was encouraged by senior members of the organization to take the certification exams. It felt like I had hit the lottery—the teachers I had looked up to for so many years now considered me a peer.”

Teachers Training School (TTS)
In 1918 DMA began perhaps its best-known dance education program, the Teachers’ Normal School, renamed Teachers Training School in 1970. The program that epitomizes the organization’s mission, it began as a four-week intensive held in advance of the organization’s annual National Convention. Over the years it has developed into a four-year certification program in which participants spend a week each year learning from master teachers. During those weeks they gain experience in the how-tos of teaching various disciplines, from ballet, tap, and jazz to modern, lyrical, and theater dance.

“DMA Teacher’s Training School gives teachers a real understanding of their core curriculum and offers them a road map to teach by,” says Tom Ralabate, DMA’s chair of education strategy and one of the driving forces behind the annual TTS in Buffalo, New York. “It addresses many idioms, offering multi-level training—historical, technical, philosophical, and aesthetic—that participants are then able to translate into their own classroom experiences.”

Last August I spent a day at DMA’s annual East Coast Teachers Training School at the University at Buffalo’s Center for the Arts in order to get a sense of the organization and those who belong to it.

At 9:50 a.m., classical jazz master teacher Jon Lehrer, a former associate director/dancer with Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago, led a class of 30 through a series of arm movements he identified as having regional ties, such as “California” and “New York” arms. The bubbly Lehrer was teaching a class in Giordano technique that had the participants sweeping across the studio floor at varying speeds. He called out to them, “Jazz has a tendency to forget the past. Let’s keep it alive today.”

In a modern dance class, UB faculty member Melanie Aceto said, “We’re tree hugging,” as she instructed the students how to shape their arms in an exercise. Later, while Aceto demonstrated a routine—and looked a bit like an Old West gunslinger, telling her class to “send the hips to the back”—some members of the class slipped off to the side to jot down some quick notes. It was a practice that went on in several of the classes I visited, including Kathi Halbert’s Cecchetti-based ballet class.

One of those bouncing between taking Halbert’s ballet barre and taking notes (as well as videotaping) was 10-year DMA member and Buffalo native Cathleen Lista. “For me Teachers Training School can be a nice brush-up on what I already know,” says Lista. “Often though, the training introduces me to new dance techniques and styles that I can take back to my students.”

How can McDonald’s “Happy Meal” toys help teach 5-year-olds to dance? I found that out in Ginny Durrow’s class on teaching children, where several young-at-heart participants were asked to pretend they were children and imitate the movement quality of a specific kids’ toy. The exercise was designed to offer the assembled teachers new ways of engaging younger students that would indirectly teach them a skill used in dance technique classes.

Durrow’s class was one of several non-core subject classes offered at TTS, which have included, over the years, acrobatics, alignment, ballroom, choreography, costume design, dance history, dance notation, folk dance, kinesiology, music theory, nutrition, and studio business.

The culmination of TTS’s four-year, multilevel training program is its certification exams. I caught up with 22-year-old Michelle Godin from Sudbury, Ontario, Canada, coming out of the first of her exams. She described the testing process: “For each discipline you test in, you go into a room and choose four random cards with dance steps on them. Then you decide what part of a dance class in the subject you are testing you want to teach. You then have 10 minutes to prepare a lesson, choose music, and another 5 minutes to teach your class to a group of your fellow test takers.”

Many of the participants I spoke to attend TTS annually and view the school as a form of continuing education as well as a place to renew friendships and network. Paula Davey from New Liskeard, Ontario (who drove seven hours to take her exams), perhaps summed up best what TTS is all about.

“You can go to workshops in your own town that give you an overview of a particular subject,” says Davey. “Here the training is much more in-depth. A subject like ballet or tap is broken down to where you are taught its terminology, history, and how to teach it to others. By your fourth year here, you are so well prepared that you go into your exams with the confidence that you really know your stuff.”

Postgraduate program
In addition to its standard teacher training, DMA offers the Certified Masters in Dance Direction postgraduate program. This program is for candidates who already completed the TTS program and have the technical and pedagogical proficiency and understanding to support graduate work. The program delves deeper into the areas of performance, choreography, education, re-creation, production, and research through the following:

• Graduate Seminar I: An overview of dance and dance education that delineates differences between the dancer and the dance educator.
• Graduate Seminar II: Research courses in the candidate’s field(s) of specialization or interest culminating in a written paper.
• Master’s Program Special Studies Courses: A three-year program that offers specialized courses in ballet, jazz, tap, modern, choreography, and creative movement theory, history, aesthetics, and practice.

Student programs
As far back as the 1930s and ’40s, DMA began to include classes and programs for members’ dance students. “If we don’t nurture our students we are not going to end up with quality teachers in the future,” says Costa-White. “We feel that offering class opportunities and scholarship opportunities not only helps them evolve as good dancers and fine entertainers, it also helps them become fine educators.”

Currently DMA offers four main programs for students:

• Intensive Ballet: a four-day intensive in classical ballet and related subjects for the serious ballet student ages 13 to 18.
• Student Honors Intensive Program (SHIP): a weeklong program geared toward the college-bound student or the student who wishes to take a professional track. In addition to classes in a wide range of dance techniques and styles, students ages 13 to 18 are given instruction on putting together a resume and preparing for an audition, as well as seminars on dance injury prevention and nutrition.
• Scholarship and Performing Arts Competitions: Each year at the national and chapter levels, DMA gives out a plethora of awards and scholarships to dance students, including the coveted Miss and Mister Dance Title Scholarship Awards.
• Junior Membership Program: At the chapter level, DMA offers budding dance teachers under age 18 an initiation into DMA’s teachers training program with a nuts-and-bolts approach to becoming a dance teacher and/or studio owner.

Evolution
Throughout its history, DMA has taken the pulse of the industry and made strides to initiate or keep up with changes. “We are continually offering new educational opportunities for our members and students,” says Costa-White. “You can never stay static. You always have to keep growing.”

For 50-year DMA member Noreen Rhode, owner of Noreen Londregan School of Dance in Mayfield Village, Ohio, the past half-century has seen a lot of changes in the organization, from the updating of its curriculum and syllabuses to adding classes in new styles like hip-hop, lyrical, and musical theater. “The caliber of dance instruction has advanced since I joined in the late 1950s at age 16,” says Rhode. “The dancers too are so much better than we were at their age. Overall, there is a much broader range of learning opportunities than when I first joined DMA.”

Conventions
Apart from a postponement during World War II, DMA’s National Convention has been in continuous operation since the organization’s founding. It unites under one roof all of DMA’s components, from teachers training to student competitions and scholarship programs.

Each year the convention honors the organization’s long-term members and presents awards to individuals who have positively influenced the dance world. Past recipients of DMA’s awards have included Bruce Marks, Dennis Nahat, Jacques d’Amboise, Gus Giordano, David Howard, and Robert Joffrey.

This year DMA will embark on a yearlong celebration of its 125th anniversary with numerous special events at both the regional level and at its National Convention, to be held July 4–10, 2009, in the Washington, DC, area. The convention will commemorate the organization’s past pomp and circumstance with the return of the “Grand March,” a ceremony that in the organization’s opulent early years saw its officers arrive at the convention’s closing banquet in tuxedos and gowns and riding in Rolls-Royces.

Legacy
A forebear in the pursuit of excellence in dance education in the United States, Dance Masters of America continues to be a respected place where dance instructors turn for training and to become better dance teachers. For the virtually all-volunteer organization, that strong commitment to excellence in dance education has been its greatest achievement over the past century and a quarter—and will be its legacy going forward for the next 125 years.

For more information, visit www.dma-national.org.

Words from our readers

I just had to write and let you know how I laughed at Diane Gudat’s “Fantasy Comebacks” [DSL, September 2008]. Oh my gosh, I have had some of the same questions! That was the best laugh I have had in a long time. Thank you for your magazine; it is very inspiring.
Fran Norris
Miss Fran’s Dance & Tumbling Studio
Ponca City, OK

---

I was on the treadmill listening to my iPod and reading the September 2008 issue of Dance Studio Life (by the way, love this magazine!) and I came across the article titled “Fantasy Comebacks.” I haven’t laughed that hard in a long time. It was a hysterical but a realistic article. Many times I’ve had to be professional instead of saying exactly what I was thinking. I really enjoyed this article and made copies of it for my friends who own studios in other towns. Thank you so much for a great laugh!
Lisa Brown
Sunset Academy of Dance
San Francisco, CA

---

I was reading the letter from a teacher who had two of her teachers leave and open a studio close by [DSL, “Ask Rhee Gold,” September 2008]. My advice to all dance studio owners is to get a contract (and yes, it would be worth the expense of getting an attorney to do it) stating that the teachers employed cannot teach within a 10- mile radius for a period of two years following the end of the contract without written permission of the studio owner. How awful for someone to do that—but it happens, and studio owners must be very careful.
Louise Taitz
On Your Toes Academy of Dance
Buffalo Grove, IL

---

I love, love, love your publication! It has helped me more times than I can count—and as I am entering my ninth year of studio ownership, that is saying a lot!
Jill Robinson
Adams Dance Academy
Pittsgrove, NJ

---

I thoroughly enjoy your magazine and every article is real-world! So helpful to a studio owner. Keep the great issues coming because we look forward to new ideas every month.
Elizabeth Huebner
Classical Dance Center
Newport Beach and Tustin, CA

Dear Rhee,
My school has been open for 14 years and for the most part we have been extremely successful. We always stay on top at the competitions and usually go home with the high-score cash awards. Over the past few years I have added several teachers to my staff, especially those who are good with the competition program. They are all fine teachers, but most of them don’t like to teach the untalented students, or as you call them, the recreational students. I understand because I don’t like to teach the beginners or the babies, either.

Like most teachers, we all complain or make fun of the recreational students because we know that they’ll never be as good as our competition kids. But I try to explain to my teachers that they need to fake having a good time when they are teaching the beginners because that’s where their paycheck is coming from.

To date we have lost more than 40 beginners and babies in the first three months of the season. Obviously I am not saying the right thing to my teachers to make them understand that we can’t keep losing these students, but it just doesn’t seem to sink in. Do you have any advice? —Nancy

Dear Nancy,
From my perspective, you are the root of your problem. Your faculty will not change their attitude until you change yours. If you don’t like to teach the recreational students and you freely share those feelings with your faculty, why should they want to teach them either? When you suggest to your faculty that they should fake enjoying these students, you set an example that I wouldn’t encourage any school owner to do. Your students and their parents can see through your façade and that’s why they’re dropping in such large numbers.

You wrote that all teachers complain about or make fun of the recreational kids because they are not as good as the competition kids. In my opinion you are completely off base with that statement. Teaching a beginner student who masters a chassé or a simple shuffle should be as rewarding to the teacher as any student who wins a trophy. And “recreational” is not a synonym for “untalented.” There are plenty of talented kids who do not aspire to a career in dance or even want to make dance the focus of their lives. Their interest in other activities or academics may limit their participation, but it doesn’t mean that they have no talent.

It is time to stop adding faculty to your competition program and start hiring teachers who actually like to teach dance to all students, regardless of their skill level. If you don’t like to teach the babies and neither does your faculty, your school probably doesn’t have much of a future. Those babies are your future.

The best advice that I can offer you is to get off your high horse and stop judging your students by whether they win awards. Then maybe your attitude will trickle down to your faculty. Until then, I have a feeling that you will continue to lose students. Ultimately you may find yourself with all the trophies but no school to display them in.

I apologize if this response seems harsh, but if you read this magazine on a regular basis you would know that you are writing to a person who believes that every child should experience the wonderful world of dance. And I don’t care if they can do multiple pirouettes or simply clap to the music. —Rhee

---

Dear Rhee,
I am strictly a ballet teacher employed at a professional school in the Midwest. I teach both the company dancers as well as many classes in the children’s program. Although I love working with the company, there is something uniquely rewarding about working with children. Many students at the school will never be ballet dancers but might become strong dancers in another style of dance. I think some of them should be taking jazz or modern classes along with their ballet, and I have told several of them to look for a school that offers those styles. I also tell them to continue taking their ballet classes for a strong foundation.

Last week I was called into the school director’s office, where he scolded me for suggesting that my students should be taking anything other than ballet. He explained that jazz and modern are not recommended by the school and that we can’t afford to send our students to other places. When I told him that we have many students who would never become ballet dancers but who could have a future in another form of dance, he responded that it isn’t our place to tell them that. When I suggested that we add jazz and modern to our curriculum, he wouldn’t hear of it, telling me that we are a “pure” ballet school.

My daughter started taking ballet at this school, but she also took jazz and tap at a local school. Today she is a professional Broadway dancer who would never have found her place in the dance world if we had not been open to all forms of dance.

I called in sick this week because I don’t know if I can continue to teach the children. If I am a real teacher, I should be able to point my students in the direction that best suits their needs. If I don’t, my conscience tells me I am cheating them. Please help me decide what to do. —Michelle

Hello Michelle,
First, thank you so much for writing. I have enormous respect for ballet teachers who appreciate and understand that all dance is created equal.

If it makes you feel better, there are many schools that have strong jazz, modern, or tap programs with children who should be training as serious ballet dancers, but their teachers don’t want to send them to a professional ballet school, either. It seems that guiding a student to another school or certain style of dance that better suits their capabilities is often taboo in our field. That goes across the board with the private sector, professional schools, and even some higher-ed programs. Too bad for all those dancers (especially the children) who never had a chance to discover the form of dance that they are best suited for.

I feel uncomfortable advising you on whether or not you should remain at this school without knowing your financial status or what the potential is to find another teaching position in your area. However, I recommend not making a drastic move until you know where you are going next. Consider remaining at your current school while you send your resume to other schools in your area. You may find that many school owners would love to have a strong ballet teacher who has as much respect for all forms of dance as you do. Or you might want to consider continuing to work with the company dancers while teaching children at another school whose owner appreciates your integrity. It is teachers like you who inspire me to do what I do.—Rhee

---

Dear Rhee,
I am one of the lucky dance teachers with a husband who supports what I do. He has dinner waiting on the table when I come home and he takes on as much responsibility with our three children as I do. For years he has been encouraging me to buy a building for my school because he calls the rent that I pay “highway robbery.” Together we have been saving for three years to come up with a down payment for a piece of land that we know is a fantastic location for the dance school of our dreams. We are ready with a down payment, building plans, and the financing to make it a reality.

The problem is that I am not sure that I want to continue teaching dance. After having my school for 11 years, I feel burned out. I’m scared that if I build this building, I may never be able to get out. This doesn’t mean that I would stop teaching now, but paying rent makes me feel that I have an out when I’m ready. I really don’t see myself doing this for another 10 years. Probably I would teach for someone else, and then later I would like to go back to school.

The problem is that my husband is so obsessed with this building that I am nervous about telling him that I don’t think this is what I want to do. I am confused because this is what I wanted when I married my husband, but my priorities have changed. I’m afraid my husband is going to be disappointed or not support my wish to continue paying rent. What would you do? —Elaine

Hello Elaine,
Right about now we have many readers who are thinking, “I will take her husband and the chance to build my own building any day!” But the reality is that you can’t move forward on building this school if you are feeling burned out before you ever lay the foundation.

I am a big one for going with your instinct, especially when you have to make a life decision like this. I’m sensing that yours is telling you that this is not the right move at this point in your life. If your husband has dinner waiting on the table and is so supportive of what you do, then I have a feeling that he will also support your decision not to move forward on this project.

Maybe it’s time for the two of you to decide whether there might be another business that you could go into together. Or maybe your burnout will not last and five years from now you’ll decide that building your school is something you want to do. Whatever the next chapter is, it sounds like you are very levelheaded and that you are extremely lucky to have the husband that you do. Go with your instinct and don’t be afraid to share your feelings with your husband. All the best to you. —Rhee

Words from our readers

Great article by Nancy Wozny [“Two Worlds, One Dance Planet,” Dance Studio Life, October 2007]. I don’t think I would have my job if we did not have forward thinkers like [Houston Ballet artistic director] Stanton Welch. I came from a studio background and now run one of the largest schools in the U.S. The lines are definitely blurred as we evolve and mesh the best of both worlds, commercial and not-for-profit, as well as university life. As a leader in the field and one who has seen thousands of dancers as I recruit, I am amazed at how versatile students are now, and that is due to teachers in both studio schools and professional schools acknowledging the value of one another.

I am also proud to say that I feel I am from the generation that has recognized the change, accepted both genres, and is now responsible for teaching the next generation how to plan for a career that has many options. Dance is growing and the jobs are limited. Students, as well as leaders in the field, must think about that. Students/dancers must be open to all the options available.

Perhaps you could do an article about the value of a dance degree. Parents think (and I admit that I have thought this in the past) that there is nowhere to go with a dance degree. I met with Robert Cohen (he danced with Martha Graham) this summer and he changed my thinking. He said that a dance degree is a liberal arts degree, a way to get to know oneself, and it is no different than another liberal arts degree. I changed my thinking from that moment on.

Keep up the great work, Nancy. The dance world applauds you and we love you for it.
Shelly Power
Associate Director, Houston Ballet’s Ben Stevenson Academy
Houston, TX

---

I finally got the chance to read the September issue of Dance Studio Life. It just keeps on getting better! Loved so much of the information and articles—“Ancient Dancers,” “Bringing in the Boys,” “Zeroing In on the Zeitgeist,” just to mention a few. Especially loved “1,000 Words.” Congratulations!
Mike Robertson
Costume Gallery

---

I want to thank you for giving the dance teacher world such a worthwhile and meaningful publication to educate us on all aspects of our job. Most of all I appreciate the tasteful front covers of Dance Studio Life. Last month, when I received two other dance-related magazines, I was appalled at the covers. Quite frankly, I didn’t even want to leave them lying out for anyone to see because I thought they were indecent. Today, as we are all battling over inappropriate costuming and dances at competitions, it seems a shame that now we have to see it on covers of magazines designed for the dance world. I appreciate the fact that I don’t have to worry about that with your magazine. Keep up the great work!
Beverly Smithey
Stage I Dance Academy, Greenwood, IN

---

The magazine is looking great; very impressive this month [Dance Studio Life, October 2007]. Excellent job with the layout on the “Ballroom Blitz” story!

The faculty at University at Buffalo have made complimentary comments about the new look and even my partner, Thomas (a college academic VP), sees a difference in its value for dance educators. Congratulations.
Tom Ralabate
Associate Professor of Dance, University at Buffalo
Buffalo, NY

Performing not in your blood? Check out career options that will keep you in dance and offstage.

By Lea Marshall

“The course of true love never did run smooth.” Shakespeare’s famous line from A Midsummer Night’s Dream applies easily to those of us whose true love is dance. Though you may begin your study of dance at age 5 with visions of the Sugar Plum Fairy dancing in your head, you may discover, at 20, that ballet is no longer your thing and you’ve fallen in love with lighting design. Many paths wind through the dance world that do not involve choreographing or performing dance. Weighing in on these “alternative” dance careers are several experts who tell us how they got started, what they like most and least, and what to keep in mind if your own path points in one of these directions.

Lighting design: Sculpting with light and color
Mark Stanley, the resident lighting designer at New York City Ballet, was an undergraduate theater studies major at the College of William and Mary in Virginia in the late 1970s when Nikolais Dance Theatre performed there. Stanley had already jumped in as a lighting designer for the college’s student dance company, Orchesis, during his first year. But his experience with the Nikolais company opened his eyes to a larger world. “I’d never seen anything like it, and I was immediately hooked.”

Stanley completed his MFA in lighting design at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and then worked for the New York City Opera for six years. Though he had no dance background, he had always loved dance and its “ability to tell stories or convey emotion without words,” he says. When the job at NYCB came up, he jumped at it. “I was doing small dance companies in and around New York at the time, so I found a great home at New York City Ballet, and it’s been 20 years.”

Lighting design has its challenges. “There’s no time,” Stanley says. “[With] most dance companies, regional or touring, you load in on a Monday and open on a Wednesday. That’s frustrating, because I like to explore and make choices and throw them out and see something different. There’s also the fact that you’re creating your work in the space, right in front of everybody. There’s a side of this business that has to do with dealing with people, and having tough skin when there’s a row of people behind you commenting on your work while you’re doing it.”

But Stanley delights in contributing to the creation of new work. He enjoys the close collaboration with choreographers and the prominent role that lighting design plays in dance. “In theater and opera, lighting takes somewhat of a back seat to the other design elements. And in dance it’s all about the light that creates the environment. That’s very exciting for me.”

His advice for young designers? “See as much dance as you possibly can.” Take classes. Many universities across the country offer classes or degree programs in design. Observe other designers at work. “Lighting designers are for the most part very generous with their time and allowing people who are interested to observe,” he says. “If nothing else, it inspires you to go out and do it yourself.”

Costume and set design: Building a world
“I said when I was young that if all I had to do all day long was make beautiful dresses, that would be my dream job,” says Tamara Cobus, who runs the costume shop at Richmond Ballet in Virginia.

Cobus danced and choreographed in high school, but an interest in architecture shaped her undergraduate beginnings at the University of Utah. A work–study job in the university’s costume shop, however, threw her right back into the dance world. “I wasn’t choreographing or dancing, I was making dancers look beautiful,” she says. Gradually that work eclipsed her pursuit of architecture, although, she says, “it was the same as architecture for me, in a way—it was building things. But it was on a much smaller scale, and it was instantly gratifying.”

In 1991 Cobus left school and opened a storefront in downtown Salt Lake City, where she worked on projects in fashion, performance, bridal, and photo styling. In 2003 a phone call came out of the blue from Richmond Ballet, offering her a job running the costume shop. “They basically said, ‘It’s a broken shop; it’s not functioning, and it’s your baby if you want it. You can turn it into the shop that you want it to be,’ ” says Cobus. “That was very appealing.” So she closed up her own shop and moved to Virginia.

For Cobus, making a costume begins with her first conversation with the choreographer and continues all the way to opening night. “It’s hard to say what I like the best,” she says. “I love taking an idea and making it happen in reality. I love the process of fitting. I love to have a little secret in the design, a low back that you wouldn’t expect. Or making people wonder, ‘How does that stay on?’ ”

Her challenges involve coordinating the costuming needs of all parts of the Richmond Ballet organization—company, school, and outreach programs. And, she says, “I have a bigger staff than I’ve ever had, so sometimes it’s a little difficult for me to stay those steps ahead of them.” She’s had to learn to delegate and, she says, “that’s hard, because I had my own business for 15 years. But it’s becoming easier and easier for me to give it up and share the art, share the creativity.”

Cobus has honest advice for aspiring costume designers: “Expect long, hard hours. It is not a glamorous profession. I think at every opening I’ve ever gone to here at the Ballet, my hands have been dyed in whatever color they’re wearing onstage. You just have to be tough. You’re hunched over sewing machines; you’re figuring out problems; you have unreasonable deadlines. You have to be committed to creating something from nothing every day.” But, she adds, “if it’s your passion, absolutely do it. You owe it to the world to share that part of yourself.”

Freelance designer Sandra Woodall creates both costume and set designs for companies across the country. She studied fine arts and had wanted to become a painter, but a job she took after graduating from college altered her course. Her sewing skills gave her the chance to work in the wardrobe department at the San Francisco Opera House. Her work there followed an organic progression, she says. “Initially I got into the business in a very technical way, working on costumes, then building costumes, then eventually sort of shyly exposing the fact that I would be interested in designing costumes.”

An established freelancer whose work is in high demand—when we spoke she was running between a new production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream for Oregon Ballet Theatre and Othello for Alberta Ballet—Woodall says, “I love collaborating with the choreographer and developing a whole visual concept, which includes the costumes and the scenery.” She unites her approach to costume and scenic design through her early training as a visual artist. “All these fields, in terms of the arts, are just shades of aesthetic thinking. I don’t feel like someone should think, ‘I can’t be a costume designer because I wasn’t trained; I don’t have the theater background.’ I think you develop a point of view that translates.”

Stage managing: Wear a watch
Josh Morales comes from a family of musicians and singers and has a background in event management. After running his own event management and booking agency, Morales answered an advertisement on CraigsList.com for a stage manager for the dance competition company StarQuest.

“I had no idea what it really was,” Morales says. “I knew it was stage managing a show, but I wasn’t really sure what a dance competition was.” He got the job and, he says, “it all worked out. I stage managed last year, the whole season, and now I’m on the staff here permanently.” During the competition season (roughly January through July), he stage manages competition performances. Off-season, he works as a booking manager for StarQuest, hunting up competition venues around the country.

“My passion is putting something together and seeing it come to fruition,” says Morales. During competition performances, he says, “I love working with the dancers backstage, making sure that they’re on time, that they’re in their places, that the lighting is correct for them, that they can hear the music well. And that the audience gets a smooth show.”

As a booking manager, he says, “you’re on the phone talking to people across the country about their facility, their stage size, their lighting, where we’re going to bring our equipment through, where we’re going to find dressing room space. It’s a challenge. But again, when I’m on the site and I see it come to fruition, then it’s worth it.”

Producing: Learn to juggle
My own love of dance blossomed late, when I was taking ballet classes as an English major at the University of Virginia. Three years later, having landed a role as a Kit Kat Girl in a local production of Cabaret, I fell in love with the choreographer, Rob Petres, and ran off to Richmond with him in 2000 to help start Ground Zero Dance Company. Five years after that, the skills I had developed producing dance concerts in the wild landed me a job in academia as producer for the Department of Dance & Choreography at Virginia Commonwealth University.

For both Ground Zero and VCU, producing encompasses a broad range of tasks. For a small modern dance company with limited resources and personnel, it can include everything it takes to get a concert onto the stage with an audience there to see it: writing grant proposals, developing and implementing a budget, recruiting technical expertise, doing marketing and publicity, setting schedules, arranging travel, creating a program, recruiting volunteer help. If the volunteers can’t be found, sometimes it can mean changing gels, baking brownies, or mopping the stage. At the university the responsibilities are similar, but it’s easier to find help in the form of students whose grades depend on working backstage, distributing posters, or creating programs.

Prerequisites for producing are willingness, versatility, commitment, patience, and excellent communication skills—written and oral. During a performance week, your phone will ring much more often and your email inbox will fill up quickly. You must be able to see the big picture and hold the entire time line in your head. You must deal gracefully with wildly different personalities. Ultimately, you find ways to provide artists with what they need to make their work.

The rewards of these careers can be as rich and satisfying as the most triumphant moment in the spotlight. After all, it’s only in the combination of on- and offstage artists that dance reaches its full potential as a performing art. As Morales says, “I love being able to see it all come together at the end.”